Global multi media service method and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques for accessing multi media information. Specific embodiments include systems, apparatuses, methods, and software that provide access to information from disparate resources. The present invention provides a web tuner system that provides access to multiple kinds of media through a single interface in an exemplary embodiment. The web tuner system comprises equipment which can be located at a home, home office or small business office. The equipment provides a panel that displays media information, and a remote control with which the user may select media to receive. The user may also input information about various kinds of media of interest. The web tuner receives multiple types of media, such as television, radio broadcast, and Internet based information, such as from the world wide web. The information is output into external equipment of various types, such as television, for example. Accordingly, the web tuner provides a media type independent interface and control for receiving information, so that the user is able to operate a single interface to receive multiple types of media.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A web tuner apparatus comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory;    a first personal information store, said first personal information store comprising at least one of a plurality of relationships between a user definable identifier and a media source;    a remotable media control device, with which media to receive may be selected, and with which said plurality of relationships between a user definable identifier and a media source is input;    a display, operable to provide information about media sources;    at least one receiver, operable to receive at least one of a plurality of types of media;    a switch, operable to select one of said at least one of a plurality of types of media received by said at least one receiver; and    an output interface, said output interface providing a media output selected by said switch;    wherein media are selected via a user interface that receives input of a selection of a media stream to be played from said media to receive, said selection made by selecting a user definable identifier for a media source of said media stream to be played, said user definable identifier being stored in said first personal information store, and thereupon commanding said switch to select said media stream to be played from among said at least one of a plurality of types of media received by said at least one receiver; wherein said media stream to be played is output via said output interface.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said types of media include at least one selected from cable television, television broadcast, radio broadcast, world wide web, and Internet based information.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a plurality of relationships between a user definable identifier and a media source comprises a logical channel table.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface comprises a channel service user interface for a plurality of media types, wherein said sources of media are mapped into logical channel values.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein input requests received from said remotable media control device are processed by a main controller program process operatively disposed in said memory, said main controller program process providing inputs to select media to a media selector program process and inputs to customize channel information to a channel customize program process.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a network interface, said network interface providing connectivity to a server.  
     
     
         7 . A web station apparatus comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory;    a display;    an input device;    a server;    a subscriber URL information store, said a subscriber URL information store comprising at least one of a plurality of hierarchical categories, said categories providing organization for identifiers of media content; and    a network interface, said network interface providing connectivity to an Internet and enabling said web station apparatus to be accessible by a web tuner apparatus;    wherein media is accessible by commanding said server to search said hierarchical categories in said subscriber URL information store, to find media having content of interest, said content categorization performed using an interface provided by said web tuner.    
     
     
         8 . The web station apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said media further comprises media of disparate types, wherein said types of media include at least one selected from cable television, television broadcast, radio broadcast, world wide web, and Internet based information.  
     
     
         9 . The web station apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said subscriber URL information store further comprises at least one of a plurality of relational categories that organize said media content.  
     
     
         10 . The web station apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a personal channel information store, wherein a personal channel table stored in said web tuner is mirrored in said web station database, enabling users to reference said channel table from remote locations.  
     
     
         11 . A method for accessing media, said method comprising: 
 retrieving at least one of a plurality of identifiers for a media source of media streams to be played;    displaying said at least one of a plurality of identifiers for a media source of media streams to be played;    selecting via a user interface a media stream to be played from at least one of a plurality of media to receive, said selecting performed by selecting one from said at least one of a plurality of identifiers for a media source of media streams to be played;    commanding a switch to select said media stream to be played from among said at least one of a plurality of types of media received by at least one receiver; and    outputting said media stream to be played via an output interface.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said identifiers comprise user definable identifiers, said user definable identifiers being stored in a first personal information store.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 forwarding from a first location a copy of said first personal information store to a server;    creating at said server a copy of said first personal information store; and    accessing said copy of said first personal information store to retrieve said at least one of a plurality of user definable identifiers for a media source of media streams to be played from a second location at a later time.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 storing a user definable identifier for a media source of a media stream being played currently, said user definable identifier being stored in a first personal information store.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said identifiers are stored in a subscriber URL information store.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 storing an identifier for a media source, said identifier being stored in a subscriber URL information store, said subscriber URL information store comprising at least one of a plurality of hierarchical categories, said categories providing organization for identifiers of media content.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 selecting via a user interface a related media stream to be played, said related media stream to be played having content related to said media stream to be played, said selecting performed by selecting one from at least one of a plurality of URL identifiers for said media stream to be played; and thereupon selecting a second URL identifier corresponding to said related media stream to be played.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said media further comprises media of disparate types, wherein said types of media include at least one selected from cable television, television broadcast, radio broadcast, world wide web, and Internet based information.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 receiving an identity of a user; and    providing a plurality of user definable identifiers for said user.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 scanning an input source for at least one of a plurality of receivable television channels;    mapping said at least one of a plurality of receivable television channels to at least one of a plurality of identifiers;    scanning an input source for at least one of a plurality of receivable radio frequencies;    mapping said at least one of a plurality of receivable radio frequencies to at least one of a plurality of identifiers;    scanning an input source for at least one of a plurality of internet based media sources; and    mapping said at least one of a plurality of internet based media sources to at least one of a plurality of identifiers.